ABOUT

The Lung Associations of Manitoba and Saskatchewan have created a professional development program to teach health care professionals to better educate people with asthma and COPD.

RESPTrec^© (the Respiratory Training and Educator Course) will give health care professionals the latest information and training in asthma and COPD care. The Course content is based on the most recent Canadian evidence-based Guidelines. At the same time, the programs give Health Professionals the tools with which they can better teach their patients how to improve their asthma and COPD self-management skills.

By emphasizing patient self-management of lung disease, the ultimate goal of the Training and Educator Course is to improve the quality of care asthma and COPD patients receive and improve their quality of life. In addition, it will give health professionals the knowledge and skills to better educate their patients or clients.

The Education, Asthma and COPD modules prepare health care professionals to challenge the national Certified Asthma and Respiratory Educator examinations administered by the Canadian Network for Respiratory Care (www.cnrchome.net).

The development and content for the courses have been guided by clinical experts, Canadian guidelines committee members, respiratory educators, education consultants, researchers and individuals representing various health care professions.

RESPTrec^© Trainers are health care professionals from across the country who are actively involved in respiratory health in their communities and have shown leadership in the area of patient education. The program is administered by the Lung Association of Saskatchewan including registration and material management. Marketing of the program is coordinated by the Manitoba Lung Association in conjunction with the provincial lung associations across Canada.

Canadian Respiratory Health Professionals (CRHP)

The Lung Association's multidisciplinary allied health professional section is called the Canadian Respiratory Health Professionals (CRHP). This section welcomes health professionals working in the respiratory field. Many RespTrec^© participants are also members of the CRHP. They will work together to advise the Canadian Lung Association on scientific matters and programs, including policies regarding support for research and professional education where it relates to health professionals with an interest in respiratory care.

For more information or to become a member of the CRHP, please visit www.lung.ca and follow the medical and health professional's link.